Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Oh, Malabrigo!!

Bruce,

This whole week, I've been training my replacement. Part of that training, I feel, involves showing this poor girl all around town. In the last few weeks, on the way to the bank and post office and usual "work" haunts, I have acted as a crazed tour guide, pointing out landmarks on the way. "Okay, on our left is where I buy wine! There's a feminist bookstore next door." "WHOA, watch out for this pothole...that shit will cost you a new axle!"

Kate made the mistake of mentioning in passing that she once knit a scarf long ago, and I (being the socially adept creature I am) immediately latched on to knitting as our one true bond. Not that she is going to take over my job. Not that she is moving into my apartment complex. (I think I might have bullied her into that, too) No, I've decided that I'm going to set Kate up in the knitting world in Toledo.

This being my second-to-last day at work, I decided that part of Kate's training ought to be a whirlwind tour of yarn shops in Toledo. We drove out to Fiberworks, this awesome store south of the city. Of course, we were just there to observe, not buy...and I had a really difficult time resiting...but I'm moving on Saturday. The last thing I need is to add to my stash, which I still have yet to pack. Next, it was on to Perrysburg to the Yarn Haven, which is apparently changing its name soon to Yarn Cravin'!!!! How awesome is that? It's four exclamation points awesome.

Back in one of the back rooms, I was admiring the Malabrigo shelf. I had been able to resist the call of the Malabrigo in Fiberworks, but I guess in the second yarn store of the day, my resistance had worn down. I selected two beautiful blue skeins ("This can be a present for Dad! For his birthday!") (His birthday is in November).

I wandered up front, where the proprietors of the shop were knitting. They noticed the Malabrigo in my hands and gave me some terrible news. There was a fire in the building containing the Malabrigo mill and warehouse last Thursday! Here is a link to Malabrigo's website, where you can read all about it. Apparently, the mill is probably going to be okay, but they may have lost a lot (if not all) of their warehouse stock. There is also a blog on their website with updates. They are also going to be at TNNA in Columbus, OH this weekend! Everyone in Ohio, please go to TNNA and buy a whole bunch of Malabrigo!

Of course, I did my part already:

I, of course, picked the worst weekend of the year to move. With TNNA, a party in Chicago that a number of our friends are going to, and several weddings this weekend, I am finding it difficult to enlist moving help. My parents have to come down and help me load the truck, which means a beer-free move. I don't think I can do that! But I've already decided that in lieu of unpacking on Sunday, I'm just going to give up and go to TNNA. Karida is going to be there selling her bee-yootiful yarn! Of course, Bruce already knows this because she's going to be there with Karida promoting their upcoming book!! I can't believe I'm friends with famous writers!!

So, in short, everyone needs to visit Karida's booth and check out her yarn. Everyone also needs to go to the Malabrigo booth and say a few kind words of encouragement. And don't forget to stock up!

Love,Kbraxp.s. I seriously hate moving, why did I decide this was a good idea?